Tamperproof cap

ABSTRACT

A tamperproof cap is arranged for use with a container having a threaded neck portion and at least one external tooth extending radially outwardly adjacent the threaded portion. The tamperproof cap includes a cap body, a tamperproof ring and a plurality of breakable connectors coupling the ring to the cap body. A number of triangularly shaped pawls extend inwardly from the tamperproof ring for locking engagement with the container tooth, and the breakable connectors are joined to the tamperproof ring at the pawls.

United States Patent Hidding 1 Apr. 1, 1975 1 1 TAMPERPROOF CAP Primary ExaminerGeorge P. Hall Inventor: a ter E. N0. 2 141101716), Agent, or FirmOlSOll, Trexler, WOlterS,

Woodrock Rd.. Barrington Hills. 111. Bushnell & Posse 60010 {22 Filed: Jan. 30, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT Appl. No: 437,778

[52] US. Cl. 215/252 [51} Int. Cl... 865d 41/34, B65d 41/36, 865d 41/38 [58] Field of Search 215/2527, 258; 220/27 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,310,191 3/1967 Kern ct a1 215/252 3.504.818 4/1970 Crisci et a1 215/252 A tamperproof cap is arranged for use with a container having a threaded neck portion and at least one external tooth extending radially outwardly adjacent the threaded portion. The tamperproof cap includes a cap body, a tamperproof ring and a plurality of breakable connectors coupling the ring to the cap body. A number of triangularly shaped pawls extend inwardly from the tamperproof ring for locking engagement with the container tooth, and the breakable connectors are joined to the tamperproof ring at the pawls.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TAMPERPROOF CAP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to bottle closures and more particularly to tamperproof caps.

Threaded bottle closures have beendesigned in the past to indicate possible tampering with the bottle contents by means of a ring or seal that is broken away from the cap proper upon turning the cap in the direction of opening. Pawls have been fashioned on the inner surface of the ring to mesh with one or more teeth on the outside surface of the bottle. Of course, either the pawls or the tamperproof ring must flex to permit the pawls to ride over the bottle teeth in the direction of closing; and the amount of resultant freedom or play has permitted turning some of the prior art caps in the direction of opening without breaking the seal. A bottle with such a cap can thus be tampered with and there would be no indication that such had occurred.

The present invention overcomes the foregoing difficulty and takes as its principal object the provision of a new and improved tamperproof cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tamperproof cap of the type having locking pawls on a break-away ring, in which the pawls are properly located for sure engagement with the cooperating ratchet teeth on the neck of the container.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the tamperproof cap of the invention assembled with a bottle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the tamperproof cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, central sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1, the reclosure cap proper being shown in broken outline as it appears upon breaking of the tamperproof seal; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 to show the locking action of the pawls and the toothed surface of the bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tamperproof cap indicated generally by the reference numeral is shown affixed to a bottle 12. The cap 10 comprises a cap body 14, a tamperproof ring 16 and a suitable number of breakable connectors 18, best seen in FIG. 2. The entire cap 10 is advantageously fabricated from a suitable resinous plastics material such as polyethylene or acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene polymers.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the bottle 12 has a neck portion 20 having an external thread 32 formed thereon. In addition. a suitable number of triangular ratchet teeth 24 are fashioned on the outside surface of the bottle neck beneath the thread 22 and extending radially outwardly from the neck. While a single ratchet tooth may be employed, it is preferred to have a plurality of such teeth and to arrange these teeth in two or more ratchet sections as is shown in FIG. 4.

In order that the cap 10 may be locked onto the neck of bottle 12, a number of circumferentially spaced, triangularly shaped pawls 26 are provided on the inside surface of the ring 16 to extend radially inwardly for engaging one or more of the ratchet teeth 24. It will be appreciated that when the cap 10 is turned in the direction indicated by arrow 28, the pawls 26 will ride over the teeth 24; and in compliance with a feature of the present invention, the ring 16 includes outwardly bending portions 30 disposed between the pawls 26. These portions 30 are arranged to be relatively thin and more flexible than the pawls 26 to facilitate the riding action of the pawls over the ratchet teeth. The cap body is arranged with an internal thread 32 to coact with the bottle thread 22 so that turning of the cap 10 in the direction of arrow 28 relative to the bottle is in the direction of closing, that is, turning thev cap into assembly with the bottle. Thus, the cap body 14 may be assembled to the bottle 12 in continuation of the cap body being coupled to the ring 16.

In order to insure that the pawls 26 can be engaged in a full locked relationship with the ratchet teeth 24 and to prevent the contents of the bottle 12 from being tampered with, the breakable connectors 18 are joined to the cap body and the pawls 26, as is shown in FIG. 2. The connectors 18 thus provide both interruptable connections between the cap body and the ring and define pivot points about which the pawls 26 may rock in passing over the ratchet teeth 24 during assembly of the cap and the bottle. Furthermore, the breakable connectors 18 hold the pawls 26 in engagement with the ratchet teeth upon turning in the opposite direction, whereby to prevent the pawls from riding out of engagement with the ratchet teeth. Vertical ribbing or knurling 34 is fashioned on the outside side wall of the cap body 14 as an aid in transmitting full torque to the connectors 18 on unscrewing the cap. This helps to break the connectors cleanly without leaving a jagged projection which might proove a hazard to a persons fingers.

The breakable connectors 18 desirably comprise angularly disposed arms and may be provided with a semicircular cross-section, the flattened side facing in an upward direction. The connectors 18 are also of lesser dimension axially of the cap 10 than are the pawls 26. Continuing with reference to FIG. 2, each of the pawls 26 is fashioned with a first planar surface 36 facing generally in the direction that the cap is unscrewed, that is, generally toward the pointed tips of the ratchet teeth 24. In addition, each of the pawls 26 is provided with a second planar surface 38 which faces generally in the opposite direction. The connectors 18 are joined to the pawls 26 at a point about midway of the surface 38, and in order to promote clean breaking of the connectors 18, they are angled back from the surface 38 at an angle of about An annular sealing apron 40 may be provided on the underside of the top plate of the cap body 14 to cooperate with the lip of the bottle as is shown in FIG. 3.

In use, the cap 10 is turned onto the neck portion of a filled bottle 12 in conventional manner, the pawls 26 riding over the ratchet teeth 24 with the surfaces 38 in engagement with the ratchet teeth. At some later time when it is desired to gain access to the contents of the bottle, the cap body 14 will be grasped and rotated in a direction to unseat the cap thread 32 from the bottle thread 22. Upon transmission of sufficient torque, with the surfaces 36 of the pawls in engagement with the ratchet teeth 24, the connectors 18 will be broken and the ring 16 will drop away providing a visual indication that the bottle has been opened. The cap body 14 may then be turned off the bottle and used afterwards as a reclosure. Of course, the ring 16 may be discarded if desired.

The drawings and the foregoing descriptions are not intended to represent the only forms of the invention in regard to the details of its construction and manner of operation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient; and although specific terms have been employed, they are intended in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation. the scope of the invention being delineated in the following claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A tamperproof cap for use with a container having a threaded neck portion and at least one external tooth, said cap comprising: an internally threaded cap body; a tamperproof ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced. radially inwardly extending, triangularly shaped pawls for locking engagement with said container tooth in a first direction of rotation and riding over said container tooth in a second, opposite direction of rotation; and a plurality of breakable connectors coupling said ring to said cap body, said connectors being individually joined to said pawls for holding a said pawl in engagement with said container tooth whereby to insure breaking of said connectors and releasing said ring from said cap body upon rotation of said cap in said first direction, said ring being undulated by outwardly bending portions disposed between said pawls, said portions being relatively more flexible than said pawls to permit said pawls to ride over said container tooth in said second direction.

2. A tamperproof cap according to claim 1 wherein said connectors comprise angularly disposed arms.

3. A tamperproof cap according to claim 1 wherein each of said pawls has a first planar surface facing generally in said first direction and a second planar surface facing generally in said second direction and wherein said connectors are joined to said pawls at said second planar surface.

4. A tamperproof cap according to claim 3 wherein said connectors are joined to said second planar sur- Disclaimer 3,874,540.Walter E. Bidding, Barrington Hills, 111. TAMPERPROOF CAP. Patent dated Apr. 1, 1975. Disclaimer filed Nov. 18, 1976, by the inventor. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 2, 3 and 4 of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette Jana-wry 11, 1.977.] 

1. A tamperproof cap for use with a container having a threaded neck portion and at least one external tooth, said cap comprising: an internally threaded cap body; a tamperproof ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially inwardly extending, triangularly shaped pawls for locking engagement with said container tooth in a first direction of rotation and riding over said container tooth in a second, opposite direction of rotation; and a plurality of breakable connectors coupling said ring to said cap body, said connectors being individually joined to said pawls for holding a said pawl in engagement with said container tooth whereby to insure breaking of said connectors and releasing said ring from said cap body upon rotation of said cap in said first direction, said ring being undulated by outwardly bending portions disposed between said pawls, said portions being relatively more flexible than said pawls to permit said pawls to ride over said container tooth in said second direction.
 2. A tamperproof cap according to claim 1 wherein said connectors comprise angularly disposed arms.
 3. A tamperproof cap according to claim 1 wherein each of said pawls has a first planar surface facing generally in said first direction and a second planar surface facing generally in said second direction and wherein said connectors are joined to said pawls at said second planar surface.
 4. A tamperproof cap according to claim 3 wherein said connectors are joined to said second planar surfaces at an angle of about 75*. 